Julia Child’s Coq au Vin
Julia Child's Coq Au Vin is undeniably the best. This recipe sticks very much to the original, only minorly changing the ingredients and cooking method to bring it in line with the times. While Coq au Vin (or chicken in wine) might sound fancy, it is really just a simple French chicken stew that anyone can master. Don't be intimidated, this recipe is very easy to follow.
Shortly after starting this blog, I was asked to participate in a celebration of Julia Child's 100th birthday. Participating bloggers were given her most famous recipes to make and share. It was the first time I had made coq au vin.
Since then I've made it countless times. It's a simple recipe that takes a bit of time and is 100% worth it. I've made a few very minor changes to the recipe to reflect modern cooking and diets.
What makes this coq au vin special?
- Even though this coq au vin is easier to make and uses more familiar ingredients, it is every bit as rich delicious as the original.
- The chicken is first marinated in the wine (while you prep the other ingredients) which gives the chicken so much flavor.
- I use chicken thighs and drumsticks. The original Julia Child's recipe calls for cutting up your own chicken. Most of us aren't going to do that so using cuts that are familiar and widely available makes this recipe more approachable without sacrificing flavor.
- I sprinkle the cooked bacon on top after the dish is cooked as I love that it remains crunchy. Bacon that's soggy from cooking in a sauce is not my favorite.
- The original recipe calls for a tomato, but I'm assuming Julia must have meant a summer sun-ripened tomato. Our grocery store tomatoes are sad in comparison. I use some tomato paste, which has a strong tomato flavor and can be caramelized a little to add some sweetness.
- Adding carrots, which are not in the original recipe, make this more of a complete meal.
- Traditional coq au vin is thickened with butter and flour (beurre manie), but that doesn't work with many modern diets. I've given options for traditional, paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free beurre manie so you can choose the option that works best for you. I always go for the paleo version.
What to serve with Coq au Vin?
My personal favorite is to serve this with buttery mashed potatoes and a green salad. The gravy is so good poured over potatoes and the green salad brings a little freshness to the plate. Here are some other ideas:
- Steamed Basmati Rice
- Roasted root vegetables.
- Braised sturdy greens … think collard, kale, or swiss chard
- Pasta.
- Crusty buttered bread for mopping up all the gravy.
- Wild rice.
- Roasted cauliflower.
- Green beans or asparagus.
- Cauliflower rice.
And for dessert, try Julia Child's Chocolate Mousse. It's delicious!
What wine do you use in coq au vin?
Traditionally, coq au vin is made with a Burgundy wine, like a pinot noir. I've used lighter reds like Tempranillo and Gamay Noir successfully. I think the most important thing is that you like the wine you use. The wine adds a lot of flavor to the dish so make sure it's one you enjoy drinking!
White wine can also be used to make coq au vin blanc. Steer clear of sweet white wines. A Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc works well.
Delicious Chicken Dinner Recipes
- Apple Chicken Recipe with Bacon and Potatoes
- Crispy Garlic Butter Chicken and Brussels Sprouts
- Italian Braised Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives
- Lemon Herb Butter Roast Chicken
- Thai Peanut Pomegranate Chicken
- Grilled Mustard Chicken with Creamy Walnut Sauce
Julia Child's Coq au Vin
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- 1 ½ cups red wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Optional: ¼ cup brandy
- 3 strips bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, quartered then thinly sliced
- 4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch piece
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 8 ounces mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 8 ounces pearl onions, peeled
- Beurre manie, see notes for the options
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs and drumsticks in a medium-sized bowl and pour the wine, chicken stock, and (if using) the brandy over the top. Prep the vegetables.4 chicken thighs, 4 chicken drumsticks, 1 ½ cups red wine, Optional: ¼ cup brandy, 1 cup chicken stock
- Add the bacon to a large skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Cook until the bacon is crispy, about 8 minutes, then remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon.3 strips bacon
- Remove the chicken from the wine marinade (save the wine) and dry the chicken with paper towels. Working in 2 batches if needed, place the chicken in the pan, skin side down. Sear until it is golden on both sides (about 5 minutes on each side) then remove the chicken from the pan. Pour all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon/chicken oil into a heatproof dish and set it aside.
- Add the sliced onion and carrots to the pan and let them cook until the onion is golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and let it cook for 1 minute.1 medium onion, 4 medium carrots, 4 cloves garlic
- Push the vegetables to the side of the pan and add the tomato paste. Cook the tomato paste until it is fragrant and begins to darken. Pour the reserved wine marinade into the pan, scraping the bottom to remove any stuck-on bits.2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Nestle the chicken into the pan and sprinkle the thyme over top. Cover the pot, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- Pour 1 tablespoon of the reserved oil (or use olive oil) into a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until brown, about 10 minutes.8 ounces mushrooms
- Add the pearl onions to the pot with the chicken and cook for 10 minutes more.8 ounces pearl onions
- In a small bowl mix together your choice of beurre manie. Remove the chicken from the pan then add the beurre manie. Stir it into the sauce and let it thicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken back into the pan and top with the cooked bacon and mushrooms. Sprinkle with a little fresh thyme.
Notes
Beurre manie options:
- Traditional beurre manie: 2 tablespoons flour + 2 tablespoons softened butter
- Paleo and gluten-free beurre manie: 2 tablespoons tapioca starch + 1 tablespoon softened butter
- Dairy-free beurre manie: 2 tablespoons flour + 2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine
Excerpted from The Way to Cook by Julia Child. Copyright © 1989 by Julia Child. Reprinted with permission from the publisher Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.
This was absolutely delicious! My only change was that I added some salt and pepper to the chicken prior to browning, and to the mushrooms as well. I made this in the afternoon, cooled it countertop then in the fridge until I was ready to heat it up to serve. The time between (about 3 hours) allowed the flavors to blend. It tasted better at 6:30 than it had at 3:30!
I did marinate the chicken in the liquids, but was not a fan of the color the raw chicken took on from the red wine. I don’t think I’d do this step again.
I plan to serve this to dinner guests sometime soon.
My family loves this recipe and so do I. It does take some preparation but it is worth it! What a delightful dish that makes me want to explore more of Julia Child’s recipes. 😊
Time consuming and AMAZING and worth every minute cooking it!
Great dish. The sauce was rich in flavor and a velvety texture. My husband loved it.
I am such a notoriously unaccomplished cook that it became a rather tired running joke among my friends. After watching an episode of the HBO series, Julia, I decided to surprise three people with an impromptu dinner party using this Coq au Vin recipe. Everyone -including me- was amazed how delicious this was, and it wasn’t intimidating to make. I did forget to marinate the raw chicken in the wine, but that didn’t seem to hurt the dish. …In fact, to be honest, the second time I made Coq au Vin, I marinated the chicken for 24 hours. Since neither I nor my partner could tell the difference in the final result, I’ll skip that step in the future. Thanks for helping me get out of my comfort zone.
This recipe is exquisite!! It has so much flavor!! Takes a little time prepping but well worth it!!
We were inspired by the new series Julia but decided to use your version of the recipe. Although we have used Julia’s recipes directly from her cookbook in the past, (Beef bourguignon ) we appreciated your updates. We followed it precisely and used the butter flour bleurr Manie. (Ironically, we had frozen pearl onions left over from our Bourguignon a few weeks back). The Coq au Vin turned out perfect! Can’t wait for our next dinner party! Bon appetite!
Was outrageously good! Big hit at my dinner party. I should have started it way sooner though because it took 30 minutes longer than expected. Thank you for making my dinner party a hit!
Excellent recipe from Julia Child as always!
Not much flavor. We used pinot noir per the wine recommendation. Recipe took 2 hours between prep and cook time. We also added brandy. To me, it lacked a depth of flavor. Also need to cook the carrots a bit longer than recommended before putting in the sauce. They still had quite a bit of bite to them. I like them fully cooked. We served it with mashed potatoes. The sauce was good over those.
The best
Delicious. Easy to make
I tried this last night – Pinot Noir, no brandy or cognac. I tasted the dish right after I finished cooking and honestly I thought something was off – it was just OK. Then I decided to have some leftovers today and man oh man it knocked my socks off! The flavors are so much more pronounced. So I googled that coq au vin is actually one of those dishes that taste better as leftovers. It would be perfect as a make ahead dish, to be served the following day, this recipe is definitely a keeper.
This is the BEST recipe. Thank you! I’m making it again tonight for guests and can’t wait to eat it myself. I used white wine and added the brandy. Only deviation was using no garlic (due to allergies). The Gravy was spectacular. Thank you thank you thank you
Hi Kristen! I tried this recipe and followed directions. I was just surprised the only seasoning was garlic and thyme.
The dish came out great but I think lacked a little more depth and flavor. Have you tried shallots with this recipe? And no standard salt and pepper? But all around a great dish! Thank you for sharing!
We’ve found that there is enough salty flavor from the bacon, but you could certainly add extra. And shallots would be a nice substitute for the onion!
Made this recipe for the first time tonight and it is already a family favorite!! Takes a little bit of time, but the flavors are well worth it. My husband was practically licking the sauce from his plate. Thank you!!
This is a fool proof dish that may impress guests as a bit of French cooking. Even minor departures from the recipe will not hurt. I marinate the chicken with the wine and sweet onions and herbs overnite in a plastic zip lock bag. BON APPITITE! Right?
Excellent recipe! The recipe is easy to follow but keeps you pretty busy the whole time. I used beef stock instead of chicken stock for a heartier taste and deeper color and also because I realized I was out of chicken stock, lol! Perfect food for a cold winter day!
How long do you marinate the chicken in the wine?
For the time it takes you to prep the veggies and cook the bacon, although you could marinate it for up to 12 hours if you need to.
This is the recipe I have followed(although inFfrance they do traditionally use coquerel ,not chicken,which is why the marinading for the coquerel and not the chicken and long cooking time is necessary.
If,as we do and use chicken
marinade less and cook for a slower time;the risk is disinrigrated bird,so do keep checking
Loved cooking this recepie! It was one of the best and most satisfying (self cooked) meals I have had
This dish is the real deal. I was a chef in the late ’70s until the mid-’80s and I was very much old school. Still am. Something about the simplicity of the ingredients and the timing of how long the chicken actually cooks preserves the plumpness of the legs and thighs. I use very little flour and butter rather I make a bit of extra sauce and then reduce it by half so that it has that lip-smacking quality, like veal stock-based sauces have.
Thank you – this was THE best meal ever
I want to make this ahead of time. If I do, will it keep in the fridge? Should I just store the chicken in the sauce and reheat the next day?
You’ll definitely want to put it into the fridge. Cooked chicken should not be left at room temperature for more than 1 hour. You can refrigerate it in the sauce (even keeping it in the cooking pan) and reheat it the next day on your stove.
Where/when do I use the cloves?
The garlic is added in step 4 🙂
how much garlic?
4 cloves 🙂
This recipe was spot on! Not very difficult to make and will become our family’s cold weather go to meal!!!
We’ve been in food blahhland for a while…recentlwatched an old Bewitched show and they served up Coq at Vin….so having never cooked it, we decided to give it a shot! Soooooo happy we did! Wonderful recipe, easy to follow. Though we did braise the pearl onions first…glad we did as they sweetened up nicely in the final feast!
This was a fabulous dish! Perfect for the upcoming cold days with some homemade bread and dessert!
Great recipe for autumn and winter evenings with family or friends, thanks for sharing it here.
Instead of brandy, try noilly prat. Instead of carrots, try finely diced pumpkin.
I find double beurre manie essential, as this dish must be calorific ; )
Completely delicious.
How long does the chicken need to stay in the wine marinade? The instructions say for as long as you’re preparing the veggies but not sure how long that should be. I’m making a few modifications and might finish early.
It will take you about 20 minutes to prep the veggies, but you can leave it for up to 6 hours. 🙂
Excellent recipe, Kristen! I am so glad I chose your version. The tips and details you presented really helped pull this off as it was my first time making this dish. It came out perfect and I had plenty so I shared with my neighbors – AND they are still raving about it. Thank you again!
Excellent recipe…delicious!
Fantastic dish! Followed the recipe closely, by omitted the pearl onions due to family allergies.
Have a family of 6 and everyone loved it! The directions are wonderful and mine turned out just like the recipe! Definitely, will be added to the dinner rotation!
Hi Kristen,
This looks like something I would love to make but do you think adjustments could be made for an Instant Pot?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.?
I’m certain that it could, but I’m not super familiar with cooking with an Instant Pot so I can’t give too much direction. If I ever get an IP I’ll recipe test this and let you know!